Tile and method of producing same



Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

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ENRIQUE VINCKE, OF BARCELONA, SPAIN.

TILE AND METHOD F PRODUCING SAME.

Application filed February 24, 1923. Serial No. 620,955.l

This invention relates to tiles and like' flooring units and to the method of producing the same.

An object lof this inventioinis to provide a tile or other flooring .units capable of being formed of cork whereby the elements constituting individual flooring units are arranged in reinforced relation to one another.

Another object of this invention is'to afford the use of granules or other particles of cork bonded to one another to form the respective elements of the individual tiles.

Another feature of thisinvention is to provide an improved method of molding and otherwise treating bonded particles of cork to provide a fresh and substantially flat surface for the face of the flooring unit exposed to wear.

Pursuant tothe invention, the individual tiles or other flooring units are formed by molding granules or other particles of cork adhered by a suitable bonding process t0 3o provide al base having dimensions .co-extensive with the length and width of the individual flooring unit and having its exposed face formed of portions certain ofwhich are spaced from one another and bonded integrally with the base and of a height in excess ofthe height of the resulting tile, the spaces between such portions being recessed, applying a similarly molded unit to have its integral portions extend within the aforesaid recesses of the irstnamed tile, saw

cutting 'the mutually. interprojecting portions to thereby effect freshly cut surfaces and providing portions located in and lilling the'respective recesses and resulting in a tile having a substantially flat and smooth tread face. Preferably, one of the'pair of co-ordinated tiles may -be ,subjected to a prolonged heatv treatment orto other suitable treatment whereby' the color of its portions are darkened inv tone relatively to the portions of the other co-ordinate tile, to thereby pro vide alternate portions of light and dark colorsfor the designs of the individual tiles.

Further features and objects ofthe invention will be more fully understood from the following descriptions and accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a resulting tile having alternate strips of diiferent coloring;

Fig. -2 `is a perspective view showing a tile formed under compression to have its integral strip portions extending in excess of the height of the tile;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of co-ordinated tiles about to be applied to one f another; A

Fig. '4 is a perspective view showing a pair of co-ordinated tiles in juxtaposed relation and a saw applied to the same; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified y form of tilehaving a design of symmetrically arranged figures.

Referring to Fig. 1, the tile comprises the base portion 10 of integrally bonded material or granules or other particles of cork and having a width and length corresponding to the width and length of the individual tile as a whole; in Fig. 1, the

tile is illustrated of square outline. On the exposed or tread surface of the tile 10 are disposed the strips of the tile in similitude rto parquet flooring; in this instance, the

strips vare eight in number and the four strips 11a, 11b, 11, 11d may be-of darkened color in coloring contrast to the set of alternate strips 12a, 12b, 12,.121, of light color. By regulating the temperature of the heat treatment of cork, the color of the cork particles may be controlled in light, medium or dark tones.. The outer boundary of the tile 10 at its exposed surface is molded to have the narrow edge portions 13, 14, 15 and 16 on the four respective sides.

Such tile may have the'strip portions 11, 11", 11, 11d, integral with the base 10, pursuant to the procedure set forth more fully hereinafter, and in such circumstance, the edge portions 13, 14, 15, 1Gv are of the same color tone and form a part of the tread surface when the tile is positioned on a floor. The base portion 10 is of the same color as the strips integral therewith but is not ex posed to view when in position on a floor. In this particular tile illustra-tedv in Fig. 1 the spaced strips 12a, 12b, 12C, 12d are not in integral formation with the base 10 or with the edge portions 13, 14, 15, 16 and are 1 0- cated on the upper face of the base 10 within the recesses between the .strips 11a, 11", 11, 11d. o

As appears from'Fig. 2, vpursuant to the preferred form of the present invention, the spaced strip portions 11, 111,11, and 11d, are molded to have a height in eX'cessof the edge portions 13, lei, 15, 16 and have the recesses 17, 17h, 17, 17 d, respectively of a depth corresponding substantially equally to the excess height of the strip `portions k11, 11", 11c and 11d, above the edge portions 13, 14, 15, 1 6.

In Fig.`3 I have indicated a pair of coordinated tiles 20, 21 formed from a common mold as referred to in-reference to Fig..

2, but one tile 20 is turned angularly 180 degrees relatively to the other tilc 2l to present its integral strip portion l1a in substantial alignment with the recess 17d of the tile 21 and similarly the integral strip portion 11b in alignment with the recess 17; similarly the integral `strip portion 11c in alignment with the recess 17b and the integral strip portion llfin alignment with the recess17 whereupon, as is indicated in Fig. 4, the tiles are brought in immediate juxtaposed contact to respectively'locate the reliefintegral strip portions of one ltile 20 extending into the respective recesses of the ti1e21', and conversely the relief integral strip portions of the tile 21 extending into the recesses ofthe tile 20. A :saw 22er like severing tool is then applied .on the line of y l `cutting indicated by the severingv line 28, 23,

whereby the excess height of the integral "strip portionsv 11a, 11b, 11, and 11d, of the corresponding recesses of the respective tiles20," 21, resulting in two tiles 'each having'the-common charactertistics ofthe tile shown inFig. l.

If desired, the tile 20 may be subjected to a prolonged heat treatment to. produce a darkened tone in the coloring of its parts and the tile 21 of lower heat treatment to produce in alighter tone, whereby the tiles resulting from the-.co-ordination of suoli pair of .molded tiles are respectively p-rovided with strips of alternate coloring and edges'ofA a tone corresponding to the strips in integral molded relation therewith.

The cutting by means of a saw or like severing meanseffects a smooth surface to the tread or exposed face of the strips, in simili` tude to strips of hardwood heretofore commonly employed in parquet and similaiflooring. .v

The tilesare preferably formed ofgranules or particles of cork, subjected to a heat treatment and under pressure to effect the bonding of the cock particles to one another 4 without the useof an adhesive; in such compression and bonding process, the volume of the partlcles may be compressed from an original volume to aconsiderably reduced volume of unity, and the heat treatment is raised to the range of temperature wherebyA the natural gum and resonance are exuded from the interior of the cells of the cork to effect the bonding of the individual parti-4 cles to one another.-

From the above,'it will be. observed that each tile is Aformed of a base of integrally lhe invention possesses the advantage of enabling a parquet. or similar flooring to'be sovk laid by the use of relatively large units in concrete or cement. l

vrlhe invention' is further advantageous in material andl labor and cost items of the production of the individual flooring units.`

noy

If desired, the molded cork product may be formed with integrally molded strip portions and ythe recesses may be filledwith strips of wood or like material, which may be colored in contrast with -the molded por'- tions as desired. Upon laying tiles'. of contrasting` colors in side-by-side positions on the fioor the flooring resembles parquetting.

It will be understood that the design of the tile may be varied as desired, such as a central circular design 3,0, as indicated in signs 3l, 32, which preferably are located .Figure 5, and the ninety degree are* desymmetrically withinthefwhole contour of the tile33, to provide for recesses and elevations 1n contraposition in a pair of coordinate tiles, similarly as hereinabove set forth, to afford the dual treatment'of` a pair of tiles of the same or different colors.

`lVhereas I liave described myinvention'b-y reference to specific forms thereof `itwill.

within said recesses.

formed ofcomposition cork to form a base and portions extending to the exposed sury fio and portions ofl suitable material located 2. A flooring unitv comprising a base .71.2.5

nace of the unit, said portions being spaced 2'- from` one another and further comprising edge portions 1n integrally bonded relationwith said base, and portions disposed between said spaced portions on the-wearing surface'of the unit. Y.

3. A flooring unit comprisl'n posed between said spaced portions of the 4. The method of forming a-iooring unit comprising molding basesformed of bonded particles of cork, each base having portions spaced from one another on one face of said base 'and spaces intervening said portions, 'applying pairs of 'such bases to one another to locate the portions of one base in the recess of the other base and the portions of said other base in the recesses of the said one base, saw-cutting the respective portions of the respective bases for the extent thereof within said spaces and thereby producing a a base, spaced portions formed of partic es of c ork' bonded to one another Without the use of. extraneous adhesive, and strips ofv cork'dis' 'y pair of baises; each having a substantially iat tread face and each tread freshly out surface.

5'. Thegmethod yof forming 'a iooring unit comprisingmolding differently-colored bases face having a .formed of 'bonded' particles of cork, each base havingv portions dspaced from one 'anothery on one face of said base and spaces intervening'said portions7 applying pairs 'of such bases to vone another to locate the portions of one base in the recess of the other base and the portions of said other base in the re-` cesses of' the said one base, saw-cutting the respective portionsof the respective bases for the extent thereof lWithin said spaces and'. thereby producing a pair of bases, each hav;v ing a substantially lat tread face and each face havinga freshly'cut surface. f

In testimonywhereof I have' signed this specification this 27th day of January 1923.

ENRIQUE viNoiiE. 

